DAYTON, Tenn. — Rhea County school board members voted Thursday to study hiring their own business manager.

The board also asked state Rep. Jim Cobb, R-Spring City, to support legislation giving the board taxing authority.

Board member Bill Davault said after the meeting that the county’s central finance operation is broken.

“We have lost so much money in the last few years” that the board needs to reestablish its own financial control system, he said.

The school board’s action came on the heels of an announcement Monday that the state comptroller’s office rejected the county budget because of improper accounting procedures and unacceptable funding provisions. County commissioners hope to approve the revised budget at their meeting on Tuesday.

But Rhea County Commission Vice Chairman Johnny Mincy, who attended the school board meeting, disagreed in comments outside the session.

“We had one of those (business managers) four or five years ago and it didn’t work,” he said.

He acknowledged problems in the finance department, but said the county should do a “good job hiring a qualified person to step in” rather than breaking up the department.

In a related matter, Mr. Davault invited Rep. Cobb, R-Spring City, to attend the meeting and see the board’s support for setting its own tax rate independently of the County Commission.

The vote was 7-2, with two members asking for more information.

Mr. Cobb said he likes to see 100 percent support on an issue before presenting it for consideration by the Tennessee General Assembly. He expressed doubt that there would be much support for creating another taxing authority, as the board suggested.

The Tennessee Journal newsletter reported that the Tennessee School Boards Association will consider a resolution this week to grant taxing authority to school boards. It would require amending the state Constitution.